


another name for the devil

by sorbetjin



Series: another name for the devil [1]
Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, Attempt at Humor, Blood and Violence, Childhood Friends, Cults, Dark Comedy, Gen, Gun Violence, Haunted Houses, Horror, Implied Relationships, Kim Namjoon | RM is a Sweetheart, Kim Seokjin | Jin is So Done, M/M, Memory Loss, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Murder, Murder Mystery, Mystery, OT7, Police Officer Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Police Officer Min Yoongi | Suga, Producer Kim Namjoon | RM, Psychological Trauma, Singer Jeon Jungkook, Thriller, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-19 08:41:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22008205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorbetjin/pseuds/sorbetjin
Summary: When a fun roadtrip with his friends quickly goes wrong, Jungkook and his hyungs are forced to stay overnight in an abandoned mansion in the Daegu countryside.However, not all is as it seems. As they start disappearing one by one, Jungkook wonders if he can trust his memories... or himself.// bts murder mystery au
Relationships: Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin
Series: another name for the devil [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631623
Comments: 32
Kudos: 46





	1. downpour

**Author's Note:**

> hi I decided to try writing horror for once so please enjoy :))

“Who the fuck thought this was gonna be a good idea?”

Jungkook said nothing, trying his best to keep his attention on the road. He had gotten fairly used to driving by now, but driving in the unfamiliar countryside during night time was still a terrifying prospect. The rain made it even harder to see, even with the wiper going as fast as it could. Jungkook tapped his fingers against the wheel to the rhythm of the obscure song that was playing from Taehyung’s playlist to distract himself from Jin's constant complaints, despite it being hardly audible over the sound of the storm brewing. 

“Just think of it as a bonding experience. It’s fun getting to see each other’s hometown.” Jimin shouted through a mouthful of chips.

They had spent the last four days at Jin’s place, and then Namjoon’s. By order of rotation, Taehyung’s birthplace was next. The only problem was, they couldn’t find it, no matter how long they'd been on the road. He was pretty sure that he had driven past the same scarecrow three times now.

From the corner of his eyes, Jungkook could see Namjoon’s hand reaching out to grasp Jin’s shoulder. “Hey, we all agreed to this, okay?”

“You’re right, but I didn’t sign up for this! I thought we were going to see Taehyungie’s parents, not goddamn _wheat_.” Jin sputtered.

“The GPS just isn’t working. We’d get there eventually.” Namjoon said, trying to reassure him. “There’s only so many places in Korea, after all.” He murmured, but it was loud enough for Jungkook to hear. Judging from the look on Jin’s face, he had heard it, too.

“You’d think someone would at least remember the directions to his own house.”

“We’re taking a different road than what I’m used to.” Taehyung said defensively.

“And he hasn’t been here for years.” Jimin added.

“Guys, our fuel is running low.” Jungkook shouted, effectively breaking up their argument.

Jin groaned. “How long do you think it’ll take until we get there? I mean, it’s already this dark. We’ll just get more and more lost at this point.”

Jungkook silently agreed. He chewed on his bottom lip, and he could tell from the silence that followed that everyone else was thinking the same thing, too. They had agreed on visiting each other’s hometown during the holiday season, but at this rate, they might as well have gone straight to Jimin and Jungkook’s.

“I know somewhere where we can stop.” Taehyung suddenly said from the back. Jungkook glanced at him from the rearview mirror. “There’s this place me and Yoongi-hyung used to go to when we were kids.”

“And you think you can find this place _how_?” Jin whipped around in his seat. “You can’t even find your own house!”

“No, I mean,” Taehyung pointed straight ahead. “It’s right there.”

Jungkook’s sight followed his finger.

There couldn’t have been a more dramatic reveal as lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the road leading up to a cliff, with a lone, single mansion on top. The sheer ridiculousness of the timing of the situation would’ve been almost comical, if Jungkook wasn’t actually physically there staring at it.

“Yah, are you crazy?!” Jin spat. “Haven’t you seen enough horror movies to know it’s a bad idea?”

“A police station is just down the other road!” Taehyung argued back. “If we’re this close to the mansion it means we’re close to the station. I’ve been here before. Yoongi-hyung and I have slept there, too, when we were children. It’s perfectly safe.”

“Why can’t we just crash at the police station, then?” Jin seemed desperate to avoid going anywhere near the mansion, and Jungkook wasn’t going to pretend he was eager to go there, either.

“Yoongi-hyung told me that place is crazy small. All of the officers share one office. He complains about it a lot, so I don’t think it’s even possible for us to sleep there.”

Jungkook slowed down as they approached the intersection. “Our other option is to sleep in the car, though.”

“Why shouldn’t we? It’s a much safer bet.” Jin asked incredulously.

“Uh,” They all turned to look at Jimin. He shifted awkwardly in his seat. “I kinda have to pee. There’s probably a toilet in there, so...”

Jin stared at him. “Just go pee outside or something. Be part of nature. It’s not that hard.”

“Hyung, it’s fucking raining like the sky just broke. I’m not going to go into the woods alone. Also, that scarecrow is highkey creeping me out.”

“But the mansion that looks like it belongs in Resident Evil doesn’t?”

Namjoon, who had stayed quiet as they bickered, put his hands up to calm them down. “Look, how bad can it be? We’ll just stay there for one night and get out as soon as dawn comes. It’s better than staying here when there’s a perfectly good shelter in front of us.”

Jin gave him a death glare that said, _I didn’t think you were this dumb—_ but he could tell he was outnumbered after meeting everyone’s expectant gazes. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Fine. Whatever. But if something happens, I’ll never let you guys live it down. I’ll remind you every day that you guys are a bunch of losers.”

Jungkook took that as a sign to proceed, so he carefully made his way up the road. As their engine shuddered to a stop, Jin craned his neck to look up at the mansion.

“What on earth were you kids even doing playing here?”

“We were children.” Taehyung shrugged, unbuckling his seatbelt. “It’s not like we had much else to do. We kinda just make do with what we have out here.”

Namjoon grabbed his duffle bag. As soon as he stepped out, he let out a low whistle. “Wow, this must’ve cost a fortune, huh?”

Jungkook slammed the door shut. He felt slightly uneasy about staying the night at an abandoned mansion, but Taehyung did say that the police station was close by. And it wasn’t like they hadn’t done crazier things before.

He pulled his hood off as he climbed up the steps and stood with them, shivering from the cold.

Namjoon waved a hand in front of him. “You have everything on you?” He asked softly.

 _Ah, shit,_ he cursed under his breath. He turned on his heels and ran back to the driver’s seat.

“Jungkook-ah, hurry up!” Namjoon called out. “You’ll get soaked.”

“Sorry! Just forgot my phone.” Jungkook flushed red, fumbling with the door handle. His brain hadn’t acted up for a while now, but forgetting his own phone despite having it practically attached to him at all times bothered him slightly. He brushed it off. He was just tired; it wasn’t that big of a deal. Besides, Namjoon would have lost his phone plenty of times before if it weren’t for them, and he wasn’t even the one with the memory problem.

Hugging his jacket closer to himself, he joined his hyungs at the doorstep once again.

“What if some hobos are crashing here?” He asked nervously, nudging Taehyung with his free arm.

Taehyung's eyes seemed distant. Jungkook couldn't tell whether he was starting to regret his choice or he was just blanking out like usual. “Doubt it. This place is pretty far out. I’ve never seen any homeless people hanging out here before.”

“So, are we going to go in or not? We’re gonna freeze.” Jimin whined.

“You guys brought flashlights or…?” Jungkook asked, looking around. “Y’know what, nevermind. We have our phones.”

“Mine’s almost dead, though.” Taehyung said.

Namjoon showed them his black screen. “Mine, too, actually.”

“That’s why I told you guys to bring a power bank. Honestly, what would you guys do without me?” Jin shook his head, tutting. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a tangle of wires and handed them to Namjoon.

Jimin’s phone lit up the ground. “I can only see like, five feet ahead of me. We should find a light switch when we get in.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Namjoon squared his jaw, and pulled the door open. With a loud creak, they swung open, disturbing the patina of dust that had collected on the floor. Coughing, he took his glasses off and wiped them with his shirt.

Jin shouldered past him and stepped inside. The sound of the floor creaking underneath his weight echoed in the hallway.

Not even a second later, he paused, and turned around, frowning. “Did you just say something?”

The rest of them stared back at him blankly. Nobody had spoken a word since they walked in. Jungkook laughed nervously. “Hyung, stop trying to scare us.”

“No, I swear—“ For a moment, worry flashed through his eyes. Then, he was back to his usual serious expression, though he still seemed unsettled. “Forget it. It’s probably just the wind.” He had said it to reassure them, but it seemed more like it was directed to himself. Jungkook couldn’t help but notice the slight tension in his back.

“If you’re scared, I’ll lead.” Jimin said, puffing his chest up. He might have seemed brave, but Jungkook suspected he just couldn’t wait to locate the nearest bathroom.

But, just like Jin, he skidded to a halt almost immediately.

“Uh, guys—“

Namjoon grabbed his wrist, always ready to help. “You should point the light upwards,”

“No, I—“

“It helps to distribute light across the room. Way more efficient than pointing at the ground.” Namjoon explained, smiling patiently.

“Do you not see that?!” Jimin snatched his hand away, voice shrill. He took a step back clumsily, bumping against Taehyung. He whirled around; the look in his eyes wild. “We have to get out of here. Now!”

“Hey, what the hell—“

“What are you talking about—“

Jimin shakily pointed the light at the floor. They froze.

Jungkook could feel a lump growing in the back of his throat. All five of them looked at each other.

“So like, do we run, or…?”

-

“And you say there was blood on the floor?” Yoongi asked lazily, the sound of his pen scratching against the rough paper of his notepad filling the room. He didn’t seem all too pleased to have visitors in the middle of the night. His oversized uniform was unbuttoned all the way and Jungkook doubted sitting on his desk whilst questioning witnesses was considered professional behaviour, either.

“Not just the floor, the whole fucking room!” Jimin shrieked. Namjoon reached out with a comforting hand, but hesitated, and awkwardly let it fall back on the blanket wrapped around himself.

“By room, is it safe to assume you mean the wall as well…?”

Jimin huffed. “Yes, sir. I think I’ve mentioned that. _Thrice_.” Jimin seemed about ready to pull his martial arts moves on the guy if he didn’t stop testing his patience.

Jungkook fumbled with his thumbs, letting his gaze wander around the room. He watched as Yoongi’s partner, who introduced himself as Hoseok, hum to himself as he made some coffee in the back. He wondered if Hoseok usually stirred his drinks this loudly, or he was trying to remind Yoongi that he was still there to catch him should he act rudely to citizens.

“You’ve been asking us the same question over and over, hyung.” Taehyung pointed out, his tone weary.

Stealing a glance at Hoseok’s back, Yoongi sighed and set his book down on his desk. There was nothing but doodles on the page, Jungkook noted. “I’m telling you, kid, there’s nothing there.”

Jin seemed too tired to argue, but there was a trace of annoyance on his face. “We know what we saw. There was red all over. Didn’t seem like paint to me.”

Yoongi tilted his head. He looked like he’d rather be anywhere but there. He gratefully accepted a mug from Hoseok, choosing to take a long sip before speaking. “And what did it smell like?”

Jimin blinked. He and Jin shared a look.

Jungkook felt the tightness in his chest return. That _was_ a good question. Surely, with that much wet blood, they would’ve smelt it the second they opened the door?

Yoongi watched their confused expressions with pity in his eyes. “Look, I’ve been to crime scenes. I pretty much can’t forget the smell of blood even if I wanted to. Now, I’m asking you, did it smell like metal? Or did it not?”

“I-“ Jin started. He seemed utterly defeated by Yoongi’s logic, and Jungkook saw how confused they all were at that moment. They didn’t smell jack shit when they got there, and they all knew it. Still, what with the rain and all…

Namjoon met his eyes. He seemed to be thinking the same thing. “Officer, is it possible for the heavy rain to wash the scent away?”

“If it’s inside the building, it’s not like it got rained on, right? And going off what you told me, it wouldn’t be easy to mask the smell of so much blood.”

Hoseok gave them a gentle smile, but like Yoongi, he had a look on that said: _poor you._ “You see, we get a lot of reports about this, all year round. Every time we check, it’s always a false alarm. We never find anything. And it’s always the exact same thing, too.”

“Blood on the walls, floors, and voices,” Yoongi drawled. “And a shit load of _nothing_.”

Jungkook noticed how quiet Jin was upon hearing this. He stared at the floor so intently, Jungkook almost believed he was still seeing the blood from the mansion on the office floor.

“We call it the Midnight Madness around here.” Hoseok made a spooky sound effect, but the joke didn’t really go over well with them, especially after the shock of seeing such a horrid sight. He glanced at Yoongi for support, who gave him a half-hearted, encouraging nod. “People get curious, they get scared and start imagining weird things. Everyone knows about it.”

“And you mean to say _everyone_ just so happened to see the same exact thing?” Namjoon frowned. Jungkook was grateful he spoke up. Despite not being a big believer of otherworldly stuff, Namjoon believed in what he could see. Which in this case, was a bloody mansion.

Yoongi threw his hands up exasperatedly. “Look, I don’t know what you expect us to do about it. It’s not like we can investigate something that’s not there.”

“Vanishing blood _is_ really hard to test—“ Hoseok chuckled, but quickly realised they weren’t in the mood to joke around.

Taehyung placed a hand on Jimin’s shoulder. “Then, are you saying it’s just an illusion?”

Yoongi regarded Taehyung, speaking carefully. “Yes. That’s what we’re saying.”

“So theoretically, it’s safe to go back there, right?”

Jungkook frowned. Sure, he felt a _bit_ more glad after hearing Yoongi debunk what they saw with reason, but it didn’t mean he was necessarily looking forward to going back there. He didn’t like the challenging tone in Taehyung’s voice, and from the look of horror and betrayal on Jimin’s face, he didn’t either.

Upon hearing this, Yoongi straightened. “Hey, that’s not what I—“

“If you insist it’s all just Midnight Madness or whatever, then we _can_ stay the night there, right?”

“Can’t we just go to a motel or something?” Jin seemed ready to drop. Jungkook felt bad for him. It was past his bed time, and for someone who went through his daily life with a strict schedule, being five hours behind it must have taken its toll on him. They’ve been at the station for more than an hour now.

“Jin-hyung’s right. Let’s just keep driving. We’ll reach a motel sometime, right?” Jungkook suggested.

Hoseok placed a hand on his hip. Jungkook stared warily at the gun in his holster. The sight of a weapon was jarring on someone so cheerful and naïve-looking, but the glittering badge on his chest reminded Jungkook that he probably knew his way around a gun.

Hoseok scrunched his face up. “Motel? There’s no such thing for like, tens of miles in this area. This is the countryside, dude.”

“Plus, you guys look like you’d fall asleep at the wheel.” Yoongi grunted.

He hated to admit defeat, but Yoongi was right. Jungkook didn't think he could drive for a minute more, and his hyungs seemed even less willing (with the exception of Namjoon, who wasn't even legally qualified to offer to).

“There’s no harm in staying the night there, I guess.” Namjoon said carefully, watching Jin’s expression. Logic had always won Namjoon over in every situation, and Yoongi seemed like an all-around logical guy. Or maybe he was thinking about the more likely chances that they would get lost without their GPS and end up getting murdered by some chainsaw-carrying maniac in the middle of nowhere.

Jimin stood up from the sofa, sighing. “Okay, but first, let me use the bathroom here. I am _not_ peeing in that creepy mansion.”

And that was how the five of them ended up going back to the mansion on top of the cliff, unaware of the fate that awaited them.


	2. rainstorm

Jungkook swallowed harshly. There really was nothing there anymore.

“What the fuck?” Namjoon muttered under his breath.

Jungkook couldn’t agree more. The place was spotless. There wasn’t a single trace of blood left in the room, no matter which direction Jimin shone his phone’s flashlight at. Even the sinister aura seemed to have lessened. The only thing that still remained was the thin layer of dust covering the entire area; eerily undisturbed.

“It could have been a case of shared delusions?” Jungkook said uncertainly. “You know, mass hysteria and stuff. I read about it online.”

“But it wasn’t just us.” Jimin said, his teeth worrying his bottom lip. “You heard what Tae’s friend said. There were multiple reports of the same exact incident.”

Jin pursed his lips. He sounded reluctant as he spoke. “There’s only a few more hours until the sun rises. We can wait it out.”

“Hyung, you don’t have a flashlight?”

“You don’t need a flashlight when your beauty shines as bright as mine.” Jin deadpanned. Jungkook appreciated the way he tried to lighten the mood, though he joined the others in rolling their eyes and complaining half-heartedly.

Tentatively, they made their way to the centre of the huge empty space, actively pushing Namjoon to the front to lead them, though none of them wanted to admit they were just scared (or in Jin’s case, would rather sacrifice someone else than himself). Still shivering from the cold and rain, the sound of their teeth chattering would have appeared funny to Jungkook if he, too, wasn’t a victim of nature’s ploy.

With the light from Jimin and Jungkook’s phones, they could barely make out the stairs in front of them that branched off into two. It led to further halls on the upper floor, but Jungkook doubted any of them wanted to venture off to somewhere so dark, it seemed more like an endless abyss than a physical space.

“Let’s just make camp here.” Jungkook called out, pulling onto Namjoon’s coat before he could wander off any further. The others were more than happy to follow his suggestion.

“I brought snacks,” Taehyung suddenly said while they settled down on the marble floor. As he dug out what seemed to be endless stream of chips and cookies, he hummed to himself, making small happy noises every time he pulled out a personal favourite.

“Did you already finish the one we opened in the car?” Jungkook’s mouth couldn’t help but water at the thought of it. He had barely gotten any bites because he was busy driving, save for the few Taehyung shoved in front of his face from behind.

“Jimin had it last I saw.”

“Sorry, it’s all gone into my stomach,” Jimin said, pouting with his chin on Taehyung’s shoulder.

Jungkook’s jaw dropped. “Wha—“

“Guys,” Jin said abruptly. “I don’t want to jinx it but we _do_ have an escape plan if something did happen right?”

“We should’ve gotten Yoongi-ssi’s number just now. Or at least Hoseok-ssi’s.” Namjoon sighed.

“I got Yoongi’s.” They stared at Jimin. He paused, his hands buried in a new bag of chips. “What?”

“When did you get Yoongi-hyung’s number? Even I don’t have it!” Taehyung asked incredulously.

“He just told me to call him if anything happens.”

“Yah, why are you turning red?”

“Nothing,” Jimin was barely able to contain his smile. “Just, he was annoying with his repetitive questions, but y’know. He looked cool when he told me to call him. So manly and stuff.”

“He didn’t mean it like _that_.”

Jimin shrugged. “Who cares? In the end I have it, so does it really matter why or how?”

As they settled into a comfortable silence, the realisation of how dark the mansion truly was began to dawn on them.

“Taehyung-ah, didn’t you use to play here? Shouldn’t there be a light switch somewhere?” Namjoon asked.

Taehyung wiped the crumbs off of his fingers. He pushed himself up, his bag in hand. “I’ll go check.”

Jungkook gave him a quizzical look. “You can leave your bag behind, y’know.”

“I don’t trust you cheaters not to steal my snacks when I’m not looking.”

“That’s harsh.” Jimin chided. 

“You need a light?” Jungkook asked, holding out his phone.

For a moment, Taehyung stared at the phone, contemplating whether or not he should take it. Then, he took a careful step back, shaking his head. “It’s okay, I know this place like the back of my hand.” He flashed them that charming sideways grin of his, and vanished into the shadows.

They all waited as Taehyung walked off and slowly, the sounds of his footsteps disappeared completely. Jungkook glanced at his hyungs. Was it just him, or was the dark creeping up on them? It felt uncomfortable; _naked_ , almost, sitting there in the dark so defencelessly. 

“Looking for this?”

Jin let out a high-pitched scream as the lights flickered on.

Min Yoongi stood in all his 5”9 glory, his legs crossed, one hand in his pocket and the other still on the light switch by the door. Hoseok popped up from behind him, waving at them with a flashlight in hand, his smile brighter than the chandelier above them. They seemed less intimidating than before—or was it because of all the yellow ducklings printed all over their raincoats?

“You couldn’t have chosen a less dramatic entrance?” Jimin sighed, slumping over.

“I wanted attention, so.” He said in his monotonous voice, though there was a slight hint of amusement in it. His fingers worked swiftly to take off his dripping wet raincoat.

Taehyung came jogging back from one of the corridors, panting and breathless, his eyebrows furrowed. “Who--?”

“Taehyung-ah, why didn’t you just turn that one on instead of going so far?” Namjoon asked, pointing at Yoongi.

“That fool must’ve tried to find the power box instead.” Yoongi drawled, making his way to join them. He had a small, affectionate smile on his face. “Or did you forget where the switches were, you brat?”

“I thought it’d be better to just turn all the lights on in this house in one go.” Taehyung huffed. “Kill two birds with one stone, you know?”

Jungkook watched the two of them go back and forth in amazement. Yoongi, who had appeared so scary just moments prior, seemed to morph into a softer person. Taehyung just had that kind of effect on people, apparently.

“Anyway,” Jin narrowed his eyes at Yoongi. “What are you guys doing here? I thought you guys were tired of investigating reports of this place.”

“It’s called following protocols.” Yoongi grumbled. “Believe it or not, I do take my job seriously.”

“Hyung, you _can_ just tell them you were concerned instead of acting like this.” Hoseok poked him in the side, laughing. He slung an arm around Yoongi’s shoulder, beaming at them. “He said he was worried when he heard you guys were gonna spend the night here so he wanted to make sure you guys were safe.”

Yoongi did everything he could to avoid their eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

At that instance, Jungkook could practically feel everyone warming up to Yoongi.

“Is it okay for you two to leave the station, though?” Jungkook asked, tilting his head to the side. “Won’t it be left unattended?”

The way Yoongi’s lips tilted downwards at the corners made Jungkook realise that he must have said something wrong. Jimin touched his arm, gently telling him, “Jungkook, you said hi to the woman at the front desk, remember?”

Jungkook could feel the blood rise to his face. “S-sorry. I must’ve forgotten.”

All of his friends were aware of his problem, but to the officers in front of them, they must’ve thought Jungkook was full-blown cuckoo in the head, or just really dumb. Yoongi stared at him with a calculative gaze, his hand massaging his shoulder absent-mindedly. Either way, it felt embarrassing to have them stare at him like he had grown two heads.

Hoseok didn’t seem to be as bothered as Yoongi. He sat down in between him and Namjoon and happily ate the snack Taehyung offered him. “So, where are you guys from? You can’t be from around here if you wounded up here.”

“I’m from Ilsan, sir.” Namjoon replied, hand outstretched.

Hoseok gave him a long, hard look, before bursting into another bout of laughter. “Wow, you guys need to loosen up.” Hoseok said, clapping Jungkook’s back. The tension in the air must’ve been a lot more obvious that he had realised. Though, how one can relax in front of two police officers was a mystery to Jungkook. “I mean, Taehyung and Yoongi-hyung have been friends for a long time. Isn’t it weird for us to act all formal? Act like this is a reunion, at least.”

Yoongi nodded curtly. “I think that’s better, instead of us skirting around each other. Especially if we’re spending the whole night together.”

“The whole night?” Jimin squeaked.

“I’d feel a bit irresponsible if I just leave all you guys here.”

“Oh. Th-thanks.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Yoongi patted off the dust from his hands onto his pants. “Just think of it as a favour.”

With Hoseok cracking jokes left and right, Jin seemed to get more comfortable with whipping out jokes of his own. It felt like hours had passed as they sat in their little circle, huddled in warm blankets and munching on snacks, laughing together like old buddies. Jungkook smiled, content with seeing everyone so happy together. This trip was going well, wasn’t it? They even met new friends. What could possibly go wrong?

_Creak._

Jungkook snapped his head around, eyes wide. _What the hell just made that noise?_ His heart was thumping so hard, his chest was starting to hurt. His eyes darted around the room, though he wasn’t sure what he was expecting to find, and whether he even _wanted_ to find something.

“Oi, kid, what’s up with you?” Hoseok turned to him. “Why are you so jumpy?”

Jungkook shifted back to his original position, still shaken up. Everyone was watching him, waiting for him to explain himself. “I-I thought I heard something.” He stammered. “Probably just a clock or something, haha.”

Yoongi’s hand crept up to his holster. If Jungkook wasn’t sitting next to him, he might have missed the warning glare Hoseok shot his partner. He tried to decipher what they were communicating to each other, but he couldn’t read their expressions as well as he had hoped.

Jin let out a loud yawn. “Why the hell are we still up? We need to sleep! We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Yoongi and Hoseok broke up their silent argument, watching in surprise as Jin settled under his blanket, their tired eyes enviously wanting to drop, too.

“Especially whoever’s turn it is to drive. We need to be able to stay awake tomorrow.” Jungkook sighed, letting himself fall back onto the floor. His backpack made a surprisingly comfortable pillow despite the size of it.

“I’ll keep watch.” Yoongi announced, shuffling away from them to sit against the wall.

Hoseok frowned. “No, let me. You stayed up all night doing the paperwork. You should go to sleep.”

“I’m your hyung. Just leave this to me. Plus, I’m more used to all-nighters.” Yoongi’s tone was definitive. Hoseok seemed to realise this, too. With a guilty look, he accepted the extra jacket Namjoon offered him.

“If anything happens, wake me up, got it?” Hoseok said sternly.

Yoongi waved him off, exasperated. “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

“I can’t have you running off alone recklessly again. You know what I mean, right?”

Jungkook averted his gaze. With how quietly Hoseok had said it, it must’ve been something personal between the two of them. He heard Yoongi grunt in response.

“Make sure to reload your gun.” Hoseok added in a low voice. “Out of all people, anyone would think you would be the least likely person to never listen to the Chief's lectures.”

“I’m pretty sure nobody expects me to at this point.”

“…you’re right, but you shouldn’t say it.”

Hoseok and Yoongi weren’t the only ones having a private conversation. If he strained his ear, Jungkook could barely listen in to the muffled conversation between Jimin and Namjoon. Jin had immediately succumbed to sleep, face half-hidden beneath his blanket, his alpaca-shaped plushie tucked beside him.

Jungkook nuzzled closer to Taehyung, trying his best to absorb his warmth. Taehyung’s long hair tickled his face, but he ignored it and let himself be enveloped in Taehyung’s arms underneath the blanket. Taehyung was not the best person to sleep next to due to all his shifting and kicking, but Jungkook knew he had trouble sleeping without anyone to hug. He was used to it by now, anyway.

As he was lulled to sleep by the sound of their soft, rhythmic breathing, Jungkook wondered what he had done in his past life to deserve being surrounded by so many people he loved; so many people who understood him and accepted him despite his flaws.

He should have known it _was_ too good to be true.

Come morning, Yoongi and Jimin were nowhere to be found.


	3. eclipse

Jungkook woke up to the harsh sunlight hitting his face. He groaned, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands. Those cursed large windows all around them had their curtains thrown open, one man by the name of Kim Seokjin looking out of them, his expression sober.

He would’ve brushed it off as Jin being dramatic as usual, if it weren’t for the fact that Namjoon was also up and was talking in hushed whispers with Jin, his eyebrows scrunched up with worry.

Jungkook sat up, glancing around blearily. The mansion looked much better in the daylight. Though the beige wallpaper was fading and getting mouldy, and the carpet was stained in a few spots, it still exuded luxurious vibes with its all white furniture and giant mirrors.

What time was it, anyway? The day was far too bright for the morning sun. He searched through his pockets for his phone, and nearly had a stroke.

“Fuck, we overslept?” Jungkook hissed. “Weren’t we supposed to wake up at 9? It’s almost 12 now!”

Namjoon bit his lip. “My alarm didn’t go off this morning. I must’ve hit snooze by accident.” Though he said it, it seemed like he wasn’t convinced that was the case at all. They’ve all slept together before at Namjoon’s apartment. He was always the first to wake up before any of them, never missing any alarms.

“God, how tired were we last night?”

“We did go to sleep at like, five.”

Taehyung was still peacefully asleep beside him.

“Hey, hyung, wake up.” He mumbled, pulling Taehyung’s blanket away. No wonder Jungkook felt so cold the night before; Taehyung had hogged it all to himself, curling contently under them.

Taehyung’s eyes fluttered open. He gave Jungkook a lazy smile. “Morning. Your hair looks terrible.”

Jungkook’s hand quickly shot up to his hair, trying to comb it down. “Shut up. _Your_ hair—“

“Stop fussing over your hair, we have things to talk about.” Jin said sternly.

Jin rarely ever sounded actually annoyed when scolding them, but his cold tone made Jungkook realise that perhaps, something much more serious than he realized was going on. He scrambled to his feet, zipping up his coat.

“What’s up?” 

Namjoon had a pained expression on his face. “Jimin and Yoongi-ssi are missing.”

Jungkook blinked. Looking around the room, he suddenly realised how _empty_ it was. After doing a mental headcount, the number tallied up to four—him, Taehyung, Namjoon and Jin. “Wait, where’s Hoseok-hyung?”

“We’re waiting for him to—“

“They’re not in the parking area.” Hoseok’s voice boomed from across the room, the door slamming shut behind him. He was sweating despite the cold weather, his button-up shirt soaked in perspiration and clinging to his body.

“How long have they been missing for?” Taehyung had quickly gotten up upon hearing the situation, his hair still sticking up on one side. His face was pale, and Jungkook could see his hands shaking as he buttoned up his shirt.

“We’re not sure. When I woke up, they were already gone. That was like, fifteen minutes ago.” Namjoon sighed, rubbing his face with his palms. “Goddammit. If only I had woken up earlier.”

“Hey, hey, don’t go blaming yourself.” Jin frowned. “How is any of this your fault?”

Jungkook sneaked a glance at Taehyung. Seeing the anxiety on Taehyung’s face, Jungkook realised how much more horrible this was for him. Two of his close friends were gone. Jungkook reached out and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. They had to find Yoongi and Jimin, _fast_.

Jungkook was going to speak to Jin, but he wasn’t looking at Jungkook. Instead, his eyes were on Taehyung, staring at him silently. Rather than sympathy, the look on his face was something unreadable.

“Have you guys checked the woods? Maybe they got lost?” Jungkook asked.

“Yoongi-hyung and I grew up playing in these woods. That can’t be possible. With him around, there’s no way Jimin would get lost.” Taehyung said bitterly.

"But they could be stuck somewhere or something. The ground is slippery right now." Hoseok theorised. "Jimin could be injured and slowing Yoongi-hyung down. We can't completely rule it out."

“Why are we assuming they went missing together?”

Jin shook his head at him. “You’re much more naïve than I expected.”

Jungkook stared at him, hoping he would elaborate, but Jin stared right back at him, expectant. Namjoon sucked in his cheeks, glaring at Jin like, _hey, are you really gonna make me do this?_

“We think Jimin likes Yoongi.”

Jungkook’s cheeks grew hot. “So you think they went on a rendezvous together?” He squeaked.

Hoseok put a hand on his hips. “Despite how laidback Yoongi-hyung looks, he’s not the kind of guy who would risk everything for someone he just met.”

“Hey, what if they’re exploring the house or something?” Jin suggested, his face brightening up. “I mean, this place is huge. Maybe Yoongi’s just giving Jimin a tour.”

“That makes sense.” Taehyung nodded slowly. “We did talk about it last night, right, Jungkookie?”

Jungkook felt his mouth dry up. “Uh, we did?”

“Yeah, we talked about investigating and…”

Jungkook couldn’t hear the rest of his sentence. He winced, his head throbbing in pain; doubling over. Somehow, from the back of his mind, he could recall the conversation from last night.

_“Why don’t we investigate this place?” Jungkook suggested off-handedly. “It’ll be an exciting adventure!”_

_“Investigate what?! I’m not about to get killed with you fools!” Jin sputtered._

_"Jin-hyung's right. I don't think exploring blindly is a very good idea."_

_“You’re saying that as if you weren’t the one who suggested coming back here.”_

_“Yeah, but I’m only here because it’s a free lodging. I’m not dumb enough to go roaming aimlessly.”_

_“But we have to get to the bottom of this mystery.” Taehyung whined, tugging on Namjoon’s sleeves._

_“Quit joking, kid.” Yoongi grumbled._

_“Fuck mysteries, it’s not like we’re in Detective Conan or anything!”_

_Jimin smiled, his eyes turning into crescent moons like they usually do when he was happy. “Hey, I think—“_

Jungkook gasped, his mind reeling back to the present.

What was that? Jungkook clasped his hands over his mouth. He felt sick. He had never remembered anything he had forgotten before. He had trouble forming new memories; what he experienced sometimes don’t get saved into his brain. So how was this any different?

“Jungkook?” Namjoon asked, his words laced with concern. The hand on Jungkook’s shoulder felt warm. “What is it? Are you okay?”

“You need medicine? Hyung will get it for you.” Jin offered, switching quickly to his mother hen persona. “I swear Yoongi had some first-aid kit in his car when we helped them unload stuff. I should go check…”

“I’m okay, just a bit nauseous.” Jungkook forced a smile onto his face. He hated seeing his hyungs fret over him and worry. Plus, they had more important stuff to do. “So, what should we do now? About Yoongi-hyung and Jimin-hyung, I mean.”

“Personally, I think we should search the upstairs area.” Namjoon said, gesturing to the stairs behind him.

“Then, why haven’t you—“

“Because it’s scary, you daft kid.” Jin said matter-o-factly, all traces of his previous concern gone.

Jungkook glanced at the stairs. With everything in broad daylight, the mansion just seemed dusty rather than hauntingly eerie like the night before. “But hyung, it’s daytime now.”

“We can go search in groups. This place is huge, you’ll get lost if you’re by yourself.” Namjoon said quickly before Jin could argue.

“Bold of you to assume we won’t get lost together.” Jin murmured under his breath.

And that was how Jungkook ended up leading their small group through the winding corridors, Jin pressed flat against his back, a selfie stick in hand just in case they came across anything paranormal. Jungkook wondered if he had considered that his weapon would just pass through a ghost if he tried to beat it up, but he wasn’t going to say anything that would freak his hyung out even more.

“Hyung, please stop pushing me, I’ll trip.” He sighed, glancing at Jin’s pale face. With his luck, of course he had ended up with the biggest coward of their group. Jin was the strongest out of the two of them, but he wasn’t particularly useful if they had to run away quickly, since the likelihood of Jin leaving him behind was much higher than he’d like to dwell on.

He had hoped Namjoon would come along with them so Jin had someone else he could cling to, but he had quickly volunteered to go with Hoseok and Taehyung; worried about leaving him alone with someone he barely knew.

“Shut up, just open that door quickly.”

Jungkook complied, ignoring how disgusting the handle felt in his hand, and the door swung open, revealing a bedroom with a queen-sized bed in the middle. Jungkook took a tentative step inside, and Jin followed. “Wow, is this velvet?” He whistled lowly, caressing the emerald green covers of the bed. The bed creaked underneath his weight.

“That thing hasn’t been washed in years. I wouldn’t sit there if I were you.” Jin advised as he rummaged through the desk and drawers. “Wow, there’s nothing here. I was hoping I’d find a gold bar or two.”

“This place is really empty, huh?” Jungkook hummed, pushing himself up from the bed. “Whoever owned this place must’ve moved away a long time ago.”

Jungkook grabbed the picture frame on the bedside drawer that must had gotten knocked over. There was a cold but handsome-looking man standing with a beautiful woman, and their three children lining up in front of them. The one in the middle had his face scribbled out with black permanent marker. Despite the censoring, Jungkook could see a sliver of a smile underneath the ink. He felt a chill run down his spine.

“Hey, let’s go to the next door.” Jin called from outside the room.

He quickly dropped the photo, taking one last look at it before closing the door.

“I hope they have better luck on their end so we can finish quickly.” Jin grumbled, tugging Jungkook back into the narrow corridor. “I really don’t like this place. I keep hearing things.”

Jungkook frowned. “Things? Are you sure it isn’t just the wind? We’re on a cliff and everything.”

“Maybe I’m losing my hearing or something. You kids are so damn loud all the time, my eardrums hurt.” As they turned around the corner, Jungkook stopped in his tracks. Jin promptly bumped into him. “Ow, what’s up with you all of a sudden? Keep moving!”

“No, hyung, don’t you see that?” Jungkook took a step closer to the wall. There was a rip in the middle of the wallpaper, and the edges were frayed. He ran his finger over it. The shape of the rip was odd, almost as if…

“A secret door?” Jin’s hushed voice almost made him jump. “ _Of course_ there’s one in this stupid, creepy mansion. We really are in a horror movie now.”

Jungkook searched the corners for a handle, anything he could grip. There were small, barely noticeable hinges at one edge, so surely, it was possible to open. “There isn’t a handle.” He muttered, contemplating if he should just kick it down or something.

“Try pushing it.”

With both of their shoulders to the faux wall, they pushed. The wall opened up inwards, and Jungkook nearly lost his footing. The two of them stumbled in, and the door closed shut behind them, almost as if it was magnetized.

He could hear Jin hurriedly pulling out the flashlight Hoseok lent them. He waited patiently as Jin turned around and hit the flashlight against his palm. The room was pitch black; there wasn’t much he could do without sight, after all.

“Jungkook-ah, I’m so glad we divided the group leaders based on who could fight.” He said breathily.

Out of their group, with Jimin missing, he was the only one who had trained in martial arts, and Hoseok had had his formal police training. Jungkook wondered why he suddenly brought that up out of nowhere.

The second he turned, he understood what Jin had meant.

The back of the door was covered in scratches, almost as if someone had been trying to get out of the room. Jungkook’s blood ran cold. “What the--?”

Then Jin swung his flashlight to the rest of the room, and let out the most piercing scream Jungkook had ever heard. “Is that blood?!”

Jungkook ducked to avoid getting clubbed by his selfie stick, trying to calm down his hyung and his flapping arms. He gave the dimly lit room a once-over.

In one corner was a small, unkempt shrine. Unlit candles and withered rose petals were strewn all across the floor. The stains similar to the ones he had seen on the carpet downstairs were splashed onto the bare stone walls, fading with age. And in the centre of the room, was a big, bloody pentagram.

Either this was a room for rituals, or it was a teenager’s gothic ideals taken to extremes.

Jungkook squinted. He could somewhat make out pieces of pictures and texts scattered on the floor, almost as if someone had hurriedly thrown them in here. They were all torn to shreds, except for the yellow folder beside them, with red bold print across it. What on earth was this room’s purpose?

He went to go get a better look, only to find Jin’s hand curling tightly around his wrist. He was shaking, and there was desperation in his eyes. “We have to get out of here.”

Jungkook’s curiosity nagged him to at least snatch the torn paper on ground in front of him before Jin dragged him out. As the door snapped shut, Jungkook stared at the crumpled up newspaper clipping in his hand, wondering if Jin would nag him and scold him for taking anything from such a creepy looking room; but Jin seemed far too preoccupied with mumbling under his breath about how loud the voices were in there.

“Let’s keep going.” Jungkook said, tossing the piece of paper behind a potted plant. He wasn’t sure what was going on with this place, but there was no way in hell he was going to leave his friends behind if they really were lost in this mansion. “We only have three more rooms to go.”

Even as they looked through each room, finding more dusty beds and dirty bathrooms, they found no hints of Yoongi and Jimin’s whereabouts, and Jungkook couldn’t help but remember the words written on the paper.

_Missing person cases reportedly linked to the act of a local active cult; believed to be founded by a family of mentally—_

“Found them?” Hoseok called out as the two of them descended the stairs.

“Nope. Judging from how there’s only three of you, I’m guessing you haven’t had much luck either?”

“Do we have no clues at all?” Jungkook asked, walking over to Taehyung’s side.

“At some point, I started to think maybe Yoongi-hyung really did go skip out on a romantic journey, but…” Hoseok hesitated. “If he had, why on earth would he bring along his case file? It wasn’t in his bag anymore when I checked.”

“Case file?”

“Yeah, he brought along the file on this mansion. Some shit had happened here in the past, before I was transferred, apparently. He thought I should read up on it, to prepare myself, but now it’s not here—“

Jungkook’s mind was racing with a hundred thoughts per second. He had seen a file somewhere in the hidden room earlier, was it possible that…

He shook his head. _No_ , it couldn’t be, right?

“Jungkookie,” Taehyung’s voice snapped him back to reality. “You have some cobweb in your hair. You really need to start looking where you’re going.”

Jungkook flinched as his hand reached up to detangle the cobwebs from his curls. He mustered up a smile, and muttered a hurried thanks.

Had Yoongi intentionally thrown his case file in the hidden room? Had he always known the room was there? But why would he tear it apart if it was that important, and he had meant to pass it off to his partner? There were so many questions, but Jungkook knew he wouldn’t get any of the answers he wanted if he stayed passive.

“I don’t want to stay here anymore.” Jin said softly, his voice wavering. He had a weary look on his face. Jungkook understood why he wanted to leave. Hearing voices, seeing weird pentagrams, losing his friend; all in one day—any sane person would run away.

They all glanced at each other. Taehyung huffed, crossing his arms. “Well, we can’t leave without Jimin.”

Jungkook considered bringing up the secret room, but seeing as how Jin had wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of here after seeing it, he wondered if they would all leave Jimin behind if they knew about it. He clenched his jaw. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving one of his closest friends in the middle of nowhere.

He met Jin’s eyes. He, too, seemed to not want to mention the crazy things they’ve seen.

“What about filing a missing person report? Can’t we organize a search party or something?” Namjoon asked, turning to Hoseok.

Hoseok frowned. “I tried contacting the station just now, but I got no response, and I can’t leave civilians here alone after two people went missing.”

“Then why don’t we all just go to the station? It’s a ten minute drive from here.” Jin was clearly agitated now.

“There was a downpour yesterday, worst storm I’ve seen in Daegu for as long as I’ve been stationed here.” Hoseok’s frustration was clear as day. Jungkook had to remind himself that he, too, had lost a friend, and unlike them who had each other, he was alone with strangers who all desperately looked to him for guidance. He was in a tough spot. “This cliff is very steep. Driving downhill on a slippery road; it’s dangerous.”

The silence that followed was deafening as everyone processed this information. What could they do? What was the best course of action? A horrifying thought popped into his mind.

_What if they’re too late?_

There was still one place they hadn’t searched, and Jungkook could tell that everyone realised this was their last resort. There was no more skirting around it, no more wishful thinking that this was a much simpler occurrence than they wanted it to be. They had to go there, no matter how scared they were; for Jimin. For Yoongi.

The woods.

“I think we should look for them. Again.” Jungkook said, painfully aware of the tremor in his voice. “The longer we wait…”

Hoseok nodded. “I think so, too. How about some of us stay here in case they come back? What do you guys think?”

“But how do we decide who goes and who doesn’t?”

“I’m obviously going, since I’m a police officer.”

“I’ll go with you.” Taehyung offered. “I know these woods the best.”

“Great, we’ll go in the opposite direction, then. It’ll be quicker.” Hoseok loaded his gun magazine with swift expertise. He seemed so reliable, Jungkook was glad they had decided to spend the night with them.

“I’ll stay here, then.” Jin glanced at the kitchen warily. No matter how scared he was of the mansion, his complete lack of sense of direction would only add the number of people missing from their group to a grand total of three. “I’ll whip up some food for you guys in the meantime. Don’t expect anything too fancy though. I’m just using the leftover ingredients we have.”

Namjoon shrugged. “I guess I’ll stay, too. I can’t leave you here alone.”

That day, Hoseok and Taehyung went out to look for their missing friends in the woods, departing with good luck wishes and determined faces.

But one of them never returned.


	4. riptide

Jungkook walked through the kitchen door, his mouth watering at the smell of Jin’s cooking. “Mm, what’s for lunch?”

Jin looked at him funny. “It’s for dinner.”

 _Dinner?_ Jungkook’s head snapped to the window. The sun was setting in the horizon, the dying sunlight painting the skies brilliant shades of purple and orange. Had time really passed by so quickly? The last thing he remembered was Hoseok and Taehyung leaving and disappearing into the woods. When had the bright, clear day turn into dusk?

Thankfully, both of his hyungs were too busy bickering to notice his confusion.

“Goddamnit, why isn’t there a knife here when I need one?” Jin grumbled, an apple in one hand and the other searching through his utensil set. “I was sure I packed it when we left your house.”

“Maybe you put it somewhere else?” Namjoon frowned.

“Yeah, maybe I just casually kept a knife in my suitcase full of clothes, for an extra rip factor. My clothes weren’t edgy enough already.” Jin remarked snidely. Reluctantly, he let go of the apple and picked up cabbage instead. “You guys better not be fussy about irregular-sized lettuce, because I’m ripping these up with my hands.”

“Hyung, if you make food, I’ll eat it. You’re the only one that notices stuff like that.”

Jungkook could hear them talking, but none of their words registered in his mind; he was far too scared of what it could mean if he had lost hours of his memory. Never had he had such a large memory gap before, not since his time in the ward. Swallowing harshly, he quietly slid into the seat next to Namjoon at the breakfast bar.

“You were in there for a while. The water must’ve went cold.” Namjoon glanced up from his book. “Did you remember to heat the bath back up again before you left?”

Jungkook’s mind went numb as he looked down at his clothes, his hands crawling up to touch the towel wrapped around his neck.

When did he—?

“Oh, uh. Maybe. Might've drained it, too.” He said, trying to sound nonchalant. How did he fail to notice the cold water dripping from the ends of his hair? They felt electric as they trickled onto his arm, grounding him to reality. He pulled his jacket sleeves down as he dipped his head, trying to avoid catching Namjoon’s eyes. He couldn’t let his fear show. He _shouldn’t_.

“You brat, you know how long it takes to fill up that damn bath tub.” Jin sighed, pausing in the middle of tossing the vegetables to show Jungkook an incredulous expression. “Why the hell does this house even have such a big tub? It’s not like it was built for swimming. Go to a pool or something.”

“Maybe some people just wanted to bathe together.”

“You’re a genius, JK.” Jin winked. “Wanna join me, Namjoon-ah?”

Namjoon seemed to entertain the thought for a moment before remembering Jungkook was right there with them. He coughed into a closed fist. “No thanks. I’d rather jump off the cliff and into the sea.”

“It’s almost winter and you know you wouldn’t.”

Namjoon ignored Jin, a nostalgic look on his face. “Remember back when it was just the three of us like this? We had no money, and Jin-hyung complained but still cooked us some food.”

“You were so pitiful, just sitting in your studio with nothing to eat. I had to pay you back somehow for producing a song for us.” Jin called out over the sound of his frying, but his ears turned red from embarrassment.

“To think that we would never have met if I didn’t find your cover on the internet, huh?” Namjoon said, giving Jungkook a fond smile.

“Yeah, I didn’t think anyone would comment on that video, much less ask me to sing for them.” Jungkook blushed. “I just did it because my therapist encouraged me to.”

“And I made a good song out of it thanks to her.” The corners of his lips twitched. “I know I told you to bring anyone else you knew who could sing, but honestly, I still can’t believe that you just brought Jin-hyung even though you’ve never met in real life at the time. What if he was a creep or something?”

“Hey, friendships formed through online games are still friendships.” Jin chided. “Games and music are the foundation of our friendship, after all. It was just a freaky coincidence that both Taehyung and Jimin can sing, too; and are damn good at games—but don’t ever tell them I said that.”

“Yeah, we’ve known each other the longest, huh? Even before I was sent to that place.” Jungkook grinned.

“When we first ‘met’, I remember freaking out because a 15-year-old beat me. I know he was fifteen because he kept gloating about it and called me old.”

“Even then you lost to me, huh?” Jungkook snickered. “I guess some things just don’t change.”

“Did you become friends with Taehyung and Jimin through a game, too?” He asked before Jin could erupt into another rant. “I don’t think I’ve ever asked. We all just started hanging out so naturally.”

Jungkook pursed his lips. “Jimin and I met because we were admitted to the same psychiatric hospital. It’s not really a happy memory, but at least we found each other, I guess.” Jimin hated telling people about his eating disorder and his past in a psych ward, but, like Jungkook, they’ve found people they could trust; people who would accept them as who they are, with and without their scars.

His time at the ward was all a giant blur to Jungkook, but he could distinctly remember the first time he saw Jimin’s smile, and the day he first heard him laugh. The two of them found comfort in one another, back when they had no one else. Trapped in rooms with white walls; fading in and out of consciousness every day; waking up to the never-ending screams from the other side of the hospital. Meeting someone else who still had hope in their eyes—it was enough for Jungkook to want to fight alongside him; to see the end of the tunnel together.

“Then what about Taehyung?” Jin asked in an encouraging tone. “I know the two of us met him through you.”

They knew Jungkook didn’t like to talk about his memories from the mental ward. Even now, after nearly two years out of there, he could still feel that familiar tingle whenever he thought back to his second home.

Namjoon gave his arm a squeeze. “Jimin and Taehyung were already friends, right? They went to the same school. So, how did you two meet, then?”

Jungkook smiled, brimming with excitement. Talking about old memories that were _not_ about that damn ward always brought up that giddy, childlike feeling in him. “Taehyung-hyung—“

But he found himself unable to say anything.

No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn’t pinpoint a definite moment where he met Taehyung. There was just a life without him, and a life with him, and a grey area in the between where his memories were disjointed. He knew for sure he met Taehyung after he met Jimin, but how could Jimin have introduced them when they were both in the hospital? He recalled celebrating Jimin’s discharge with all three of them together, and later on finally meeting Jin in real life and Namjoon.

He paused. His hyungs were both staring at him now, patiently waiting for his answer. He could feel cold sweat running down the side of his face.

…How _did_ he meet Taehyung, anyway?

“I- I can’t remember.” He stammered, his voice cracking.

Namjoon set his book down on the table, his face filled with concern. Jungkook hated the pity in his eyes. He didn’t want to make his hyungs worry; they’ve had enough on their plates with two people going missing.

“I can’t even remember how I met one of my best friends, how pathetic is that?” Jungkook said, his voice dropping to a small hush. He tried to hide his face behind his hands, but Namjoon gripped his arm.

“Hey, don’t cry. It’s not your fault.” Namjoon said, forcing Jungkook to meet his eyes. “You were in a bad place. Your memory was very wonky, so not remembering is normal.”

“Namjoon’s right. Don’t beat yourself up over it.” Jin added, quickly switching off the stove to turn his attention to them. Jungkook didn’t miss the way he shared a panicked look with Namjoon. “How about we change the topic? The mood is way too heavy to enjoy my amazing cooking now.”

Namjoon nodded, asking hastily, “So, how did the search go?”

“That’s right, did you find anything? Any clues as to where they disappeared off to?” Jin was trying his hardest to sound optimistic, even forcing a big smile onto his face.

He frowned. “How would I know? I’ve been here with you guys the whole time.”

The second the words left his mouth, he realized he had made a big mistake. It felt like time had stopped around them. A dark cloud fell over Namjoon’s face. “Jungkook, you went out to search the woods with Hoseok and Taehyung.”

“No, I didn’t.” He said far too quickly. He had hoped that nobody would notice that he had zoned out for the last few hours, but now he was like a deer caught in headlights. He didn’t know how he could lie his way out of this.

Jin wiped his hands off on his apron before touching Jungkook’s forehead. He frowned, lines of worry marring his youthful looks. “Hey, are you sure you’re okay? I thought you said your memory was getting better before we left for this trip.”

“I—“ Jungkook could feel the tears welling up in the corner of his eyes again. He couldn’t understand what was going on with him. _Had he really gotten worse?_ “Could you- could you at least fill me in on what happened? I don’t…”

Namjoon placed a hand on his shoulder. He had always been the one to comfort him; to remind him that his problem shouldn’t hold him back. “You offered to go with them because you said you were strong and could protect yourself. You came back all covered in mud and grass, so then you went to take a bath. And now we’re here.”

Jungkook glanced down at his hands. He was trembling and anxious about his memory loss, but what was that on spot his palm? And why was it also caked underneath his fingernails? He could feel his heart rate increasing as he realized what it probably was.

A dark, crimson stain, almost like…

His heart nearly stopped. He swallowed harshly, trying his best to be discrete as he wiped his palm against his jeans.

Did he scratch himself? Surely, that must be it. The woods were full of sharp branches, after all. If he did just come back from an intense search through the wild woods, then it wasn’t all that improbable.

“Something must have triggered you. Isn’t that what your doctor said?” Namjoon continued, seeming not to have noticed that Jungkook had tensed up.

“Must be the stress from having your friends disappear.” Jin’s voice was uncharacteristically soft, but Jungkook appreciated it. He was trying his hardest to stay brave even after what the two of them saw.

“Yeah.” He croaked.

“Did I miss something?”

Their heads snapped up. Taehyung watched them, a bewildered expression on his face. He had a towel draped over his damp hair and a thick jacket zipped all the way up. “Have you been crying?” He gawked, immediately hustling over to wipe Jungkook’s tears away with his thumbs.

“Did you just take a bath? Why are you soaking wet?!” Jungkook whined, dodging his hand.

“I fell into a creek, okay? There’s a lot of ‘em in that stupid forest. Don’t make me feel like more of a loser.” Taehyung scrubbed his hands with his towel. “Now, don’t try to avoid my question. Answer me, Jungkook-ah.”

His large hands felt cold against Jungkook’s skin, but it gave him that familiar sense of comfort— this only served to make Jungkook feel even more guilty. How could he tell Taehyung that he was crying because he forgot how they became friends? He brushed Taehyung’s hands away as gently as he could. “Namjoon-hyung, you should go take that bath now.” He mumbled.

Namjoon chewed his bottom lip. “Yeah, about that. Don’t you think it’s… _weird_?”

Jin’s face paled immediately. Out of all people, hearing Namjoon say something was out of place meant they were truly fucked. “W-what is it?”

“Isn’t this supposed to be an abandoned mansion?” Namjoon crossed his arms, leaning his weight against the breakfast bar. Jungkook could tell he was choosing his words carefully. “Why does it have running water and electricity?”

Jungkook stared at the sink where Jin had been washing the vegetables. How had he not realized how odd it was himself? Taehyung stopped fretting over him upon hearing this, standing up straight. “You’re right, Namjoon-hyung.”

Namjoon hesitated, his eyes darting to the side to check on Jin. “Maybe I’m just paranoid. It’s almost sundown, after all. The night can do weird stuff to the mind.”

“The sun’s almost down, but Hoseok still isn’t back.” Jin said, peeking through the blinds. His fingers were shaking, making the plastic folds rattle against themselves.

“I should go look for them.”

Everyone stared at Namjoon, but he was already putting his coat back on.

“H-hey, it’s dangerous out there!” Jin snapped, whirling around. “Sit your ass back down. We can’t afford to lose you, too.”

“That’s exactly why I have to find him. It’s getting darker and darker with every moment we waste.” Namjoon was completely serious. He gave Jin a small, sad smile. “This is the least I can do. Hoseok-ssi is trying his hardest out there, all alone.”

“Yeah, the area he needed to cover was definitely bigger than ours.” Taehyung said, slinging an arm around Jungkook. “Remember to bring a flashlight with you, hyung.”

Namjoon nodded, almost knocking over the small pile of flashlights Hoseok had left on the table for them before the search began in an attempt to pick one up. “Almost forgot. Thanks, Taehyung.”

“But…” Jin looked defeated. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. His expression was filled with pain. “Nevermind. I know there’s no use trying to convince you once you’ve made up your mind.”

For a moment, the two of them stood in front of each other, not knowing what to say. Then, Namjoon pulled Jin into a hug, something he rarely did with any of them. Jin seemed stunned by his bold display of affection, but wrapped his arms around Namjoon, their matching pink and blue watches glinting as they caught the last, dying rays of the sun.

“I’ll be back.” Namjoon said, his eyes determined.

Jin nodded. “You better be. I won’t forgive you if you leave us here alone.”

The door clicked shut behind him, and they watched as he disappeared into the woods.

Silence filled the room after his departure. Their situation was getting more and more dire, and they weren’t even sure if help was coming soon.

Jin cleared his throat. “I think I’ll go take that bath now.”

Taehyung tightened his jaw. He was eyeing the apples Jin had left on the countertop earlier. “I’ll do the laundry, then. I’m the only one who knows how to use the washing machine here, anyway. Leave some hot water for me, hyung.”

“Do we still have ramyeon?” Jungkook offered. The nervous vibe in the room was unsettling, only serving to heighten his anxiety. “I’ll make some ramyeon.” He added, quieter this time.

Jin gave him a tired smile. “Thank you, Jungkook. I’ll see you guys, then.”

Too late, Jungkook realised it was probably a bad idea to leave him alone with his thoughts. He hummed to himself as he made his way around the kitchen, setting up the large pot of water onto the stove carefully. As he ripped open packets upon packets of noodles, he let himself be consumed by his subconscious, thinking of the new song Namjoon was making, the gaming tournament Jin had promised to help him out with, Taehyung’s promise to teach him piano when they get back—

A sharp pain ripped through his forehead. He grunted, stumbling away from the stove. From the little sliver of consciousness he had left, he could hear the clattering of Jin’s expensive utensils as they fell to the ground; feel the dull throbbing in his back from where he collided with the corner of the breakfast bar.

_“Yoongi-ssi! Yoongi-ssi, wake up!”_

_Yoongi’s gaunt face stared back at him, his lips pale blue and his hair tangled in the wild grass beneath him. His hands were coated in dark vermilion_ — _he must_ _’ve tried to stop the bleeding himself. Surely he would’ve known better; seen enough crime scenes to not pull out the weapon from his stomach?_

_Jungkook didn’t know how he had gotten here. All he could remember was Taehyung telling him to stay safe, and the slight pain from where all the branches had sliced into his cheek. He had fallen to his knees beside Yoongi’s limp body, his body shaking as he registered what he was seeing._

_Jungkook’s hands curled around Yoongi’s wrist._

_No pulse._

_Jungkook choked back a sob, reaching out to close the dead man’s eyes. He had died full of terror, the shock still visible on his lifeless face. His handgun laid forgotten in his holster, his emergency whistle still clipped to his uniform. The smell of stale alcohol lingered around his body._

_Beside him, underneath a little wild shrub, was his walkie-talkie. It appeared to be smashed in, but Jungkook could still hear the faint crackle of Hoseok’s voice, full of desperation and fear, calling out his partner’s name in hopes he could still find him somehow in this maze of trees._

_Jungkook clumsily got back on his feet. He had to go back. He had found one of them. His job was done. He could leave the rest to the police now._

_He remembered the cold embracing him as he tripped over a rock and fell into a shallow creek, the temperature shocking him enough to get a grip on himself as he mindlessly continued to find his way out of the woods._

_Jin and Namjoon’s voice were echoing in the distance. The mansion was close by._

_I have to clean myself up, he thought to himself. What would they think if they saw me like this?_

_I have to_ —

“Jungkook-ah! Get a hold of yourself!”

A stinging pain burst from his cheek. Jungkook gasped, lurching forwards.

He retched, trying to get rid of the stench of blood from his mind. Was any of that real? He could still feel Yoongi’s small, frail wrist in his hands as he desperately searched for a pulse. He could still see the haunted look on Yoongi’s face, as if he couldn’t believe that he had lost to someone stronger than himself. Jungkook could remember following a trail of blood before finding Yoongi’s body…someone had moved him there.

Jungkook’s heart was thumping loud and fast as he stared at his hands, grossly stained by blood just a few hours ago, and it took all he had in him to try to stabilize his breathing; to forget what he had seen.

“The ramyeon’s all burnt. What the hell happened to you? Why did you get triggered out of nowhere?” He could hear Jin hissing in annoyance as he rushed to turn off the stove. The smoke billowing from the pot made Jungkook want to curl in on himself. He was so useless, _he couldn’t even make instant noodles._

Jungkook gladly accepted the cup of water Jin offered. “I- I don’t know. It’s just been a rough couple of days.” 

Jin stared at him warily for what felt like an eternity, before letting out a deep sigh. “I know, I’m sorry I snapped at you.” He knelt down to be at eye-level with Jungkook. His fingers carefully threaded through Jungkook’s hair, pushing them back so he could wipe the sweat off his forehead with some tissue. “Listen, hyung will salvage what I can of our burnt noodles. Leave the cooking to me. How about you just help me with a little task to take your mind off things, hm?”

Jungkook nodded slowly. Jin knew him the best. After years of knowing one another, his hyung understood that Jungkook liked to distract himself with mundane tasks.

“Great. I forgot to give my jacket to Taehyung before he left to do the laundry. Will you pass it to him for me?”

“I can do that.” Jungkook said, quickly getting up.

“Thank you.”

Jin, who had always goofed around and acted younger than he was, had never seemed older and more mature than at that moment. He was trying his best to hold himself together as their eldest.

Seeing his own fears reflected in Jin’s eyes, Jungkook knew he couldn’t worry him more.

Jungkook managed a feeble smile. He had to assure Jin that he was okay. He shouldn’t give away the fact that he was terrified out of his mind because of all the disappearances; he shouldn’t mention the fact that he missed Jimin’s bright, carefree laugh; he shouldn’t bring up the fact that he wanted nothing more than to run away, too.

And he definitely shouldn’t mention the gun in his pocket, either.


	5. blizzard

Jeon Jungkook sat in the empty hall alone as he went through Jin’s duffle bag, pausing every once in a while to glance at Jin.

He watched silently as his hyung scraped the burnt ramyeon into a trash bag, guilt gnawing at him with every little thud of the noodles hitting the bottom. He curled his fingers around the jacket he had been looking for, grateful to have something to stop his hands from shaking. For a moment, all he could do was stare at it. It was the jacket Jimin had given Jin for his birthday last year, insisting that no matter how rich Jin was, gifts from the heart mattered the most.

Jungkook remembered that night clearly; his memory had gotten better, they were all safe in each other’s company, rubbing frosting on one another’s face. A night spent in a dimly-lit room, the warm glow of candlelight reflected in the glass windows of Jin’s apartment, giggles echoing in the kitchen, preparing to surprise Jin with a shower of confetti. Jin had half-heartedly complained about cleaning up, but he couldn’t hide the smile on his face.

That seemed like a lifetime ago— the laughter; the warmth.

Just simply existing as one.

“Jin-hyung, do you know where the laundry room is?” He hated how his voice quivered, but he couldn’t help it.

Jin didn’t bother looking up to meet his eyes. His hands were busy scrubbing the burnt pot, his expression sour; all the more different to the person Jungkook had gotten to know years ago. “I think Namjoon mentioned it being on the second floor? It’s definitely in the area they searched.”

Jungkook turned to leave, a slight ache growing in his heart. He knew Jin was probably just tired, but he still felt hurt by how obviously he disregarded Jungkook.

“Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook stopped in his tracks, uncertain. He hated how much this mansion had transformed them into people he barely recognized. With every turn on his head, he didn’t know if he would be facing the friend he had always known, or perhaps a cheap imitation of them. He steadied himself, and faced the kitchen. The jacket felt heavy on his arm; dragging him down with every second that passed in silence before he could muster up enough courage to speak. “Yes, hyung?”

“Just…” Jin’s eyes were full of sorrow, dripping with concern. He looked scared; uncomfortable— everything that was not Jin. He hesitated, his shoulders tense. “Be careful, okay? I… I’m scared I’ll lose all of you.”

Jungkook didn’t know what to say. He stood there awkwardly, shuffling his feet. “I’m just going to do the laundry?”

“I know, but—” Jin sighed, rubbing his temple. “We really do have to hurry and get out of here. The voices…”

“Are they getting worse?”

“Louder. More desperate.” The pot in his hand was left forgotten. “If Namjoon knew about this, he would tell me it was all in my head.”

“Are you worried?” Jungkook asked in a hushed voice. “About Namjoon-hyung?”

“Namjoon…is an idiot.” Jin said bitterly. “He can’t defend himself for shit. He’s a city boy; the only plants he knows are his damned bonsai trees. He can’t even touch anything without breaking it. How on earth did he think it was a good idea for him to go out alone to look for them?”

“If he finds Hoseok-hyung, it’ll be alright.” Jungkook said coolly. “He had a gun and all.”

“We thought everything would turn out fine when him and Yoongi showed up, but guess who went missing with our Jimin?” Jin seemed to struggle to contain his emotions. He took in a deep breath. “Look, all I’m saying is, until we leave, there’s no guarantee that you won’t meet the same fate as them. We have to go as soon as possible.”

Jungkook nodded. He couldn’t agree more. As confident as he was in his martial arts skills, it clearly meant jack shit if Yoongi, a pro in taking down criminals, ended up dead. “As soon as we find the others. I promise, hyung.”

But Jin had stopped listening. He seemed distraught as he continued scrubbing the pot, eyes glazed as he stared through the window, waiting; wondering if Namjoon too, would abandon them.

Jungkook decided to focus on bringing Jin’s laundry to the laundry room. Gathering himself, he walked away from their pile of bags and towards the centre of the room.

He looked up; suddenly aware of how many portraits the hall had. Hanging in majestic gilded frames, they were placed between large windows, rows upon rows of faces stuck in time; men and women forever preserved in oil paint and varnish. Their eyes, blank and empty, seemed to pierce through him, watching his every move.

A chill passed through him.

His eyes landed on a painting of a man; the same handsome and cold guy from the picture he saw in one of the bedrooms earlier. He could feel the malice radiating off of him. He wondered if he could find any pictures of his children— especially the one with the missing face. With a start, Jungkook realised he wouldn’t have to look very hard. There were about half a dozen portraits of the three children, and yet again; over and over again, the one in the middle had his face crossed out.

The children were always presented together, and never apart, with the exception of one, single picture hanging at the stairways that Jungkook hadn’t noticed before.

Before he knew it, he was standing before the portrait of the eldest son. He felt a weird pull; almost as if he was drawn towards it. Jungkook could make out the jawline, the eyes, the lips, but it all seemed disjointed. As if his face was all wrong, even though it was there and wasn’t crossed out like the rest. His face seemed to swirl in on itself, morphing into an inhumane caricature of a person.

Unsettled, he tore his eyes away from the painting. There was something off about it, and Jungkook didn’t want to stay around too long to figure it out. His knees wobbled as he climbed the stairs on the left, regretting his decision to not bring a flashlight along with him.

Poking his head around the corner, he could barely make out the peeling wallpaper and wilted plants. The corridor was plunged in darkness, with the exception of the light seeping from underneath a crack in the door on the far left. The floor creaked beneath his weight.

_Jeon Jungkook._

Jungkook whirled around, clasping his hand over his ear. His heart was pounding as his eyes darted around the area, trying to look for the source of the hissing sound. He was sure someone had whispered into his ear.

He gulped. Whatever. He was probably just paranoid, what with all of Jin’s talk about hearing voices and whatnot.

His fingers closed around the doorknob, slick with mud. He groaned. Taehyung must have not cleaned his hands well before opening the door. He was gonna have to scold him about hygiene now, especially if he was the one handling their clothes.

_Turn back, Jeon Jungkook; before it’s too late._

Jungkook took a deep breath. No. He wouldn’t fall victim to insanity now. He was sure he had seen something like this in a movie before. Anxiety can bring about crazy thoughts, and he wasn’t exactly immune to them.

The door swung open, and Jungkook blinked.

Taehyung wasn’t there. The room was empty, save for one out of two of the washing machines running, and the ceiling fan whirring at full speed. There was another basket of their clothes beside a plastic chair, half of it haphazardly thrown into the open washing machine. Like the rest of the house, the window, thrown open to its fullest, was unnecessarily large, and Jungkook didn’t like how he could see straight out into the parking area.

Jungkook was a bit confused, but he decided he should just do the rest of the laundry. Taehyung probably went to the toilet or something. Crouching down, he shoved Jin’s jacket into the metal tub and stared at the buttons. He had only ever operated the one at his home. It must’ve been a pretty old model, because Jungkook was struggling to figure out where the softener went.

Grunting, he decided to give up and just throw in the rest of the laundry and dump the softener onto the clothes. He grabbed the basket, and as he slowly worked his way through the pile, something fell out and clinked against the floor.

Frowning, he picked it up. It was the necklace that Jimin always wore, with a silver ring threaded through the middle. Why was it here? Jimin never took it off, even when he showered.

Paying it no mind, he shoved it into his pocket. He continued his task until his fingers reached a familiar looking shirt. Jungkook gripped the material, fishing it out from the basket.

It was his. But he couldn’t remember ever wearing it.

He recoiled as he smoothed out the shirt. It was sticky and drying up, but a strong scent of metal wafted up. He crinkled his nose, turning it inside out. “Ugh, what the fuck…?”

He felt his heart stop.

It was covered in blood.

In a panic, he dropped the shirt and scrambled back. A million questions raced through his mind, but his head was mostly in shambles as he repeatedly thought: _whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuckwh—_

His hands instinctively curled around the gun in his pocket. He was pretty sure he hadn’t worn that shirt recently, but with the mind of a madman and the memories of a goldfish, was he really? He had a whole chunk of memory missing from earlier that day, hours of precious time gone in the blink of an eye. He had forgotten what he had done, or what he had said, so was he absolutely certain he didn’t change his clothes before going out to search?

Tentatively, he reached into the basket once more, pulling out a pair of his own jeans, and a pair of his own jacket. All of it were speckled with blood.

He sucked in a harsh breath, tears prickling his eyes. He choked back a sob, clamping his hands over his mouth. What had he done? Was he the one who killed Yoongi? Jungkook curled in on himself, fear catching up to him faster than his own thoughts could.

Who else would’ve been able to overpower Yoongi? Hoseok certainly wouldn’t have killed his own partner; not when their station was literally down the road. Jimin had learned martial arts, but he was missing too, and judging from the fact that his necklace was mixed up in the laundry, something must’ve had happened to him; or worse, he had been killed…

He stared at his palms, stained red from the clothes.

—by Jungkook’s own two hands. Was the spot on his hand earlier even his own blood? Was it Yoongi’s, or Jimin’s? Or maybe even the missing police officer, Hoseok’s? Had Jin and Namjoon been comforting a cold-blooded killer, unaware of the crimes he had dealt; the sins he had committed?

Images of Yoongi’s dead body flashed through his head. His eyes staring into nothing, his lips pale and his skin cold and blue. Jungkook winced, grabbing his forehead. Who knew what he was capable of? If he had killed three people already without knowing it, then wouldn’t staying here any longer trigger the deaths of the rest of his friends? Could he really risk his friends’ lives while knowing he was out of control?

He was a dangerous person. With missing memories and periodic blackouts, he could only bring harm to others.

He took a deep shuddering breath. He had to leave; turn himself in before he could do anymore damage. Before he hurt Jin. Before he hurt Taehyung. He had murdered innocent lives and he was sure he’d black out soon if he didn’t hurry up and get away— from the truth, from reality.

_Run._

For once, he listened to the voices. He got up to his feet, his mind numb and head empty.

And then he ran.

His thighs burned and his shins screamed in pain as he tore through the corridors and leapt down the stairs. He was crying now, his face burning as hot tears streaked down his face. He nearly made it through the front door until he felt himself physically being pulled back.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

Jin spun him around, his tone demanding. His eyes were wide with fear and concern, and a hint of worry that Jungkook might snap his arms off and just run away.

Jungkook gasped in short, shallow breaths, struggling to free himself from Jin’s strong grip. “L-let me go.” He begged, trying to shove his hyung away.

Jin’s eyebrows furrowed, and he pushed Jungkook away from the door and against the wall. No matter how much Jungkook tried, he couldn’t get away. “Why, what happened? You can tell hyung. Why are you so shaken up? Should I slap you to calm you down?”

Jungkook stared helplessly into his eyes. “Please, hyung. I- I don’t know what I might do…”

When Jin raised his arm, Jungkook flinched, expecting a sharp slap, but instead, he was enveloped in warmth. Jin pulled him into a hug, and Jungkook squeaked, unsure of what to do. Jin shushed him, his soothing hand threading through Jungkook’s hair like he always did when Jungkook had panic attacks or nightmares. “Calm down for a bit. I know you’re scared. Hyung is, too. You need to explain it to me before you leave me here alone, okay?”

Jungkook sniffled. His heart clenched. How would Jin react if he told him the truth? Would he ever see Jungkook in the same light ever again? With the fond twinkle in his eyes and gentle understanding? With comfort and playfulness that he had gotten far too used to?

He pulled away, his bottom lip trembling.

“I think I killed Yoongi and Jimin.” He said breathily.

He wasn’t sure what he expected, but Jin’s horrified face, full of confusion, raw anger, and grief broke his heart.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, hyung.” He sobbed. “I don’t want to hurt you. I-I didn’t mean to hurt them. I’ll turn myself in; before I put you guys in any more danger.”

Jin met his eyes, but he seemed to be looking straight through Jungkook. His hand was trembling in shock. The second Jin’s grip went slack, Jungkook broke free and ran through the door.

As he ran through the woods, he could hear Taehyung’s faint voice in the distance, asking Jin what had happened.

Jungkook let his tears flow as he embraced the night; scared of what he might have done; afraid of what he might become.

Jeon Jungkook, the boy with missing memories, had passed the point of no return.


	6. moonbow

All his life, all Jungkook had ever known was running.

He remembered running away after experiencing his first blackout; he remembered running away after getting his diagnosis; he remembered running away from that damn prison of a mental hospital. His life had been nothing but a horror story. Every morning, he feared waking up to a world he didn’t recognize, surrounded by faces he didn’t know.

Everything was going so well. He had finally found a home that he belonged in, a place where he felt welcomed and loved. He had friends who accepted him for who he was and taught him to love himself.

He could remember hearing Jin’s breathing over the headset, unsure of what to say after Jungkook told him he had to stop playing because he was getting treatment. In the end, Jin just told him he would be waiting to play with him again, no matter how long it took for him to get better. True to his words, he was the first one to greet him after his discharge, teary-eyed and proud.

He recalled Namjoon’s excited face through the glass walls of the studio, eyes wide and cheeks red from smiling too widely after listening to him sing the songs he had written-- the perfect muse. Jungkook had lowered his headphones hesitantly, only to be engulfed in a big, warm hug. It was the first time in his life that someone had thanked him so sincerely.

Then, he remembered Jimin. Sweet, honest Jimin who was always there to wrap his arms around Jungkook whenever he got upset over failing his routine checkup, hushing him softly and planting gentle kisses on the crown of his head. Jungkook had never met anyone so selfless and kind-- despite having his own problems, he had always told him not to be too harsh on himself and encouraged him endlessly.

Taehyung had always been the one to ruffle his hair and tell him he was worth more than he would ever realise. Whenever Jungkook had nightmares, he would crawl into his bed and hug him tight, putting on a smile because he knew Jungkook adored it so much. Jungkook always woke up to a new colourful painting at the foot of his hospital bed every morning, signed with his initials.

Even the policemen that he barely knew seemed like decent people. Yoongi had offered to watch over them because he was worried, after all. Hoseok had made sure everyone was okay and calm after the questioning, trying his best to lighten up the mood.

But, what did it matter? His little utopia had come crashing down in the just 48 hours. The illusion had cracked. They were gone. Missing. Dead.

Because of _him_.

He was the cause of it all. In the end, he had always been the monster he feared he was. He was dangerous. If he had any hopes of helping his friends out, the least he could do was put as much distance between them as possible.

His skin prickled in the cold winter air, his sins catching up to him. He ran through endless twigs and branches, his arms covered in cuts and bruises. The slick ground felt unsteady beneath his feet, and he struggled to keep his balance.

He gasped in heavy breaths, trying to wipe his tears away with his sleeve. Now what? He was pretty sure he had been running for a while now, but was it enough? Were his friends safe?

It was pitch black around him, and he only had his phone with him. He could hear the sound of crickets ringing throughout the forest, and the hooting of owls in the distance. He knew he had to keep going. Maybe if he just ran straight through, he could somehow find a path leading back to the road and find the police station.

He hissed as he accidentally rubbed against the harsh bark of a tree with his injured arm.

Despite the burn in his thighs and the aching in his knees, he forged on ahead. His battery was nearly dead, and it flashed at 5%, warning him the flashlight would soon shut off. Jungkook cursed under his breath, stopping in his tracks. It was dangerous to keep walking aimlessly in such a huge forest. He might fall off a cliff or just get eaten by wild animals.

_Crack._

He tensed, whipping around and instinctively pulling out the gun in his pocket.

Out of nowhere, a hand grabbed him by his jacket, and a man stumbled into his arms, breathing ragged and moaning lowly.

Jungkook could recognize that pale blond head anywhere, even in the dark.

“Namjoon-hyung?” He gasped, immediately hauling him up to his feet.

Namjoon was shaking, and his skin felt cold underneath Jungkook’s touch. Too late, he realised Namjoon’s white wool sweater was stained red, and his blood dripped onto Jungkook’s shoes with every movement.

“Quick, we have to--” Namjoon said through gritted teeth. Coughs wrecked his body, doubling over from the pain. Specks of crimson splattered onto Jungkook’s shoulder, and a trail of red dripped from Namjoon’s cherry lips. “Jungkook, we need to hurry. Where’s Jin-hyung?”

Jungkook was startled by the urgency in his voice. He stared into the man’s eyes helplessly, his pale and death-stricken complexion scaring him. He had never seen Namjoon so broken, so desperate before. “I-I left him at the mansion. I couldn’t bring him with me--”

“You left him _alone_? Are you dumb?!” Namjoon’s jaw went slack, fury filling his gaze. He shoved past Jungkook, dragging himself to move as fast as possible. He flinched, clutching his injured side.

Jungkook hurried after him, propping him up with his arms. “No, I saw Taehyung--”

The little colour that was left in Namjoon’s face drained away. His features contorted into an expression Jungkook had never seen before, and fear seized him. “You mean he’s already there? That fucking psycho’s quick, huh?”

“Hyung-?” Jungkook cried out, trying to match his fast pace. The trees seemed even more determined to get in their way now.

“That bastard stabbed me!” Namjoon snarled, smacking branches away so hard, they snapped in an instant. “Left me to bleed out on the fucking floor. Some friend we have. Now that Jin-hyung is alone, he’s gonna aim for him next.”

Jungkook tugged on his coat, head spinning. “B-but, I killed Min Yoongi and Jimin-hyung!”

Namjoon narrowed his eyes, giving him a once-over. “Don’t be an idiot. You can’t remember jack shit. There’s no way you could’ve murdered them.”

“But I saw--”

“Jungkook.” Namjoon said coldly. “Everytime someone disappeared, who else wasn’t there? Who was the one who’s somehow conveniently close by when someone dies?”

“I…” Jungkook faltered. His heart was beating too fast, and he wondered if it was possible that he’d have a heart attack now.

_Taehyung._

Was it possible? Was it possible that the sweet, innocent guy had ruthlessly massacred all their friends?

He swallowed harshly; he couldn’t bear to meet Namjoon’s eyes.

“Exactly. Now we have to hurry the fuck up unless you want Jin to get murdered next.” Namjoon spat. “I can’t believe none of us noticed.”

Jungkook must not have gotten very far, or was too preoccupied with his thoughts and accidentally ran around in a circle, because less than five minutes later, the mansion came into view. Namjoon quickly threw the doors open, cringing as the force sent spikes of pain through him.

Jungkook’s hand gripped the gun in his pocket, glancing around the empty hall.

“Where--”

He couldn’t finish his sentence. A loud crash came from upstairs, and Jungkook froze.

Of course.

He broke into a sprint and hurried up the stairs, praying that Jin was still okay. Namjoon wheezed behind him, and Jungkook wondered if he would pass out anytime soon.

_Jeon Jungkook._

Jungkook ignored the voice, running straight ahead.

_Escape._

_It is too late. Save yourself._

Jungkook clenched his jaw. Even without the voices and their cryptic warnings, he knew very well that he might die that night; but he had gotten them all stuck here; and everyone ended up dead. The least he could do was try to save one of them.

He turned the corner, and sure enough, the secret door was open, and two people stood in the shadows.

Taehyung stood over Jin, one corner of his lips stretched into a cruel smirk. His eyes darkened, glinting yellow like a feral cat in the darkness. Shadows seemed to warp around him, curling like smoke at his feet. He laughed in a deep husky voice, a gun twirling at his index finger.

_Hoseok’s gun._

Jungkook struggled to steady his breathing, readying his weapon. He should act now, before Taehyung--

Namjoon gripped his arm tightly, shaking his head. He motioned for him to stay quiet. Jungkook frowned, confused, until Namjoon told him to listen.

Jin was talking to Taehyung, but his eyes locked with his, a calm, resigned terror in them.

“I can’t believe you found out, huh?” Taehyung drawled. “Alas, it’s a bit too late now.”

Jin smiled sarcastically. “Those damned voices told me I’d find the truth here. You should’ve known better than to lie to someone who majored in acting. I thought it was weird when you kept pushing for us to stay here; how your reaction to your friends going missing seemed far too textbook. You may have fooled the others, but not me.”

With a start, Jungkook recognized the photo frame in Jin’s hands. It was the picture from the bedroom they found together, except the eldest child’s face was clear as day now.

Taehyung’s portrait stared at Jungkook from across the room, his piercing gaze gleaming with mischief and arrogance. The photograph seemed distorted as all his pictures looked, but Jungkook wished it was still crossed out. Seeing Taehyung as one of the children unsettled him.

"Does it matter?" Taehyung replied, his velvety tone mocking Jin. He made a vague motion with his hands. "It worked like a charm, didn't it? Just sprinkle in a few tears here and there, and everyone's rushing to comfort poor Taehyungie."

“I can’t believe you’d murder even your own childhood friends, you sick fuck.” Seokjin hissed, smashing the image against the floor.

Taehyung shrugged. “I had to. They knew too much already, it would just ruin my plan. I was surprised Yoongi-hyung didn’t let it slip from his pretty mouth that this mansion was mine…though I suppose he was just humouring me. He had always been too kind-hearted for his own good. Didn’t want to upset crazy little Taehyungie, did he? Didn’t want to shatter my delusions in case I get triggered, right?” He sneered, grabbing Jin by his fringe and pushing his head back.

Jin grunted, eyeing the gun under his chin warily. “And Jimin? You two seemed to get along well. Thought you had a bit of a soft spot for him.”

“Jimin? I couldn’t have him running around telling people I’m as sick in the head as he was! I’m lucky little Jungkookie completely forgot we were all chummy with one another at the asylum.” Taehyung laughed incredulously.

Jimin’s necklace around Jungkook’s wrist grew colder. Jungkook felt tears stinging his eyes, but he held himself back, knowing Namjoon would never forgive him if he acted rashly.

“You’d be surprised how easy it was to kill those two,” Taehyung purred. “They trust me so much, I just told them I wanted to have a small, private party amongst us old friends, and they completely bought it! Fucking idiots, getting drunk around someone like me.”

“Did you kill Hoseok, too, or is he still out there?” Jin seemed desperate to drag the conversation out as long as possible.

“I suppose he’s dead. It was fun seeing the horror sink in when he realised the one answering his walkie talkie wasn’t his trusty partner.”

Despite choking on tears, Jin stared back defiantly at him. “…And Namjoonie?”

Taehyung pressed the gun harder against him, savouring the pleasure of seeing his victims under his mercy. “I used your kitchen knife to butcher his guts like I did Yoongi-hyung and Jimin. The least I can do is give him a sending off with his boyfriend’s own prized cutleries, huh?”

Jin shut his eyes tightly, his lips quivering. His hand curled around the watch on his wrist, the one Namjoon had given him so long ago. Jungkook knew without a doubt that he was hurting. Even though he had not a single scratch on him, knowing he indirectly contributed to his boyfriend’s death would traumatise him for eternity.

With a glance at Namjoon’s tortured expression, Jungkook knew he couldn’t let this go on any longer.

“Done with your little talk?”

Taehyung froze. Slowly, he stood up and turned, a coy smile greeting him. Jungkook wanted nothing more than to punch it off of his handsome face. “Jungkookie, glad you’re here to join us.”

“How could you?” His voice sounded strained, and his hands were shaking, but he pointed the gun at Taehyung. “How could you kill your friends just like that?”

Taehyung tilted his head, lazy amusement dancing across his expression. “Oh, don’t worry, Jungkook. I can always just spare you. You can be my pretty little toy.” He cooed.

His eyes unnerved Jungkook. They were so alien; so out of place. He felt a shiver run down his spine, but he steeled himself. “Shut the fuck up, you murderer.”

“Do it,” Taehyung taunted in a low voice, almost as if he was singing to him. “Prove yourself.”

“I-”

Taehyung seemed all but real at that moment; veiled in darkness, skin as smooth as marble, eyes staring right through him. He was a monster, in all sense of the word. No matter how kind and friendly he seemed; no matter how much Jungkook had treasured him in the past; Jungkook had to kill him.

But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t bring himself to shoot with the intent to kill, when the person standing before him was his comfort for so many years. He felt a lump grow in the back of his throat, the expectant gazes of his hyungs burning holes into him. “I… I can’t.”

“Pitiful fool.” Taehyung said smoothly. Without hesitation, he turned towards Jin and shot him.

Ringing filled Jungkook’s ears. His brain refused to register the scene before him; to accept reality as it was. Time seemed to move in slow motion as he watched Jin’s face morph into shock, his fingers dipped in red as he touched the wound in his chest.

Namjoon’s cry of sorrow and pain haunted Jungkook, snapping him back to the present as it echoed throughout the mansion. He burst into the room, crawling on all fours and brought Jin’s limp body to his chest, his breathing laboured. Taehyung watched them with a blank expression.

“Namjoonie…you’re still….alive?” Jin managed through a mouthful of blood. Vermilion blossomed across his chest. “You idiot…you scared me.”

Namjoon pressed a kiss against Jin’s bloodied lips, chuckling wetly. “As if I’d die from a measly stab.”

“Three stabs, actually.” Taehyung said coolly. He turned to Jungkook, his gaze challenging him. “Pretty impressive our beloved Namjoon-hyung is still well and good, right?”

Raw anger consumed Jungkook. His finger curled around the trigger, and before he could stop himself; before he could second-guess his decision; he fired.

_Bang!_

The entire room went silent.

Jungkook lowered his gun, fumbling with the magazine. Cold sweat ran down his back.

“Empty?” Taehyung laughed softly. “I told you Yoongi-hyung trusted me too much. He knew the only real threat in this mansion was me. Why should he listen to Hoseok when the sorry, mentally ill orphan was his friend?”

“Run.” Jin met Jungkook’s eyes, smiling weakly. “The voices… they’re getting stronger.”

Jungkook’s eyes widened. “I- I can’t leave you guys here!”

“Did you really think I’d let any of you escape?” Taehyung said, standing at the centre of the pentagram. Four of the spokes were already smeared dark red. “Six is the devil’s number, after all. The one with the strongest blood goes in the centre, and that’s you, Jungkook-ssi. You made it this far, after all. You can have the honours.”

“No,” Jungkook begged. “Please, Taehyungie-hyung…. This isn’t you.”

“What do you know about what I am?” He said coldly. “You even forgot how we met. I suppose that’s good. Otherwise, you would’ve been the first to go.”

Namjoon hugged Jin tight, stroking his hair gently. Jin was already fading, barely breathing. There was no way he would live through the night, even if they did manage to get to a hospital. “Jungkook, just go.” Jin pleaded. “We love you, okay?”

Jungkook’s insides twisted upon seeing his hyungs’ pained expressions. His heart clenched, but he knew they were right. Namjoon’s eyes trailed towards the window, and Jungkook knew what he had to do.

Taehyung’s smirk vanished. He cocked his gun once again, this time aiming it at Jungkook. “Will you guys just die already?”

In a flash, Namjoon tackled Taehyung to the ground, using the last of his strength to wrestle him down. His biceps bulged underneath his coat, the seams threatening to tear. Jungkook stood in his spot, unmoving, glancing at Jin and Namjoon and wondering if it was possible to save both of them if he sacrificed himself instead.

“Go! Leave us! We’re already done for, anyway.” Namjoon cried. Jin and him shared a look, nodding silently. “We lived together, and we’ll die together. Our last wish is for you to live, even if it’s hard, even in a world without us, just live happily, Jungkook.”

“Who in their right minds would be happy after seeing this?” Jin joked weakly, mustering one last smile.

“You-!” Taehyung roared, hands desperately reaching for the gun that had clattered out of his grip. “I should’ve made sure you were dead back then!”

“Too bad, huh? Now I’m going to ruin your dumb cult.” Namjoon’s hands snaked around his neck. “Jungkook, now! Go!”

Jungkook sobbed, giving them one last look-- Jin’s serene smile as he embraced death; Namjoon’s determined expression as he choked the man who killed their friends; Taehyung’s sinister grin as dark veins crept onto his face.

He whipped his head around, and jumped.

The last thing he saw was the cold dark sea, and Jeon Jungkook was consumed by the waves. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome to the end fellow readers,, when this story first started i received some theories and I would honestly like to ask if you saw this coming and if it turned out the way you wanted. I hope this was a satisfying read, at the very least :)) keep on reading for the epilogue~


	7. dawn

Jeon Jungkook stared at the blank white walls around him, his fingers restlessly tugging on the tag around his wrist.

The asylum was just as he remembered. Cold. The same sickly sterile smell. The constant whirring of machines and dull beeping all around.

The nurses whizzed past his room, pushing around metal carts filled with medicine and clipboards; dressed in crisp white uniforms, their hair brushed up neatly, hands covered in white latex. Jungkook didn’t bother looking at them. They were always talking about him in hushed voices, staring at him like a freak attraction.

They just assumed he had shut down completely because he wasn’t verbal. He could hear them, of course. He was plenty aware of his surroundings. After all, the only senses he had lost were in his legs.

He could understand them just fine; even their dumb speculations about the case that made national headlines.

The theories.

The mystery that was his life.

Jeon Jungkook; their grand little masterpiece.

“Who thought it was a good idea to let three mentally ill people on a trip together?” He would hear them say, as if they weren’t the very ones who had signed their clearance forms years ago.

Oh, how pitiful he was-- cleared after years of therapy, only to be locked up in the same room again.

How the doctors loved to peer into his eyes with their dumb miniature flashlights, asking him questions they knew he would never answer. At some point, police had come to linger around him, asking about the names from his past that he doubted he would have remembered if their faces didn’t haunt him every single night.

The only survivor of the Daegu massacre, they had called him. Dubbing him a hero, praising his bravery.

But Jungkook would just stare straight ahead. What right did he have to live as if he hadn’t watched all his friends die in front of him? How could he be proud, when people dishonoured his friends’ memories?

He was a coward; leaving his friends behind to die.

Sometimes he wondered if the screams he heard at night was one of the patient’s, or from Namjoon, from an entire lifetime ago. He wondered if the thumping sound he heard was someone banging their head against the wall, or just the sound of Jin’s body hitting the floor? Was the little ringing sound from the alarm clock on his bedside table, or from Yoongi’s crushed up walkie talkie?

No matter how hard he tried, he could still smell the thick scent of metal from that night.

No matter how hard he tried, his jacket was still stained red.

No matter how hard he tried, his hands still had blood on them-- his friends’ blood.

Today, too, the nurse was in his room, her hands gently touching his and telling him he looked better than the day before. She’d flash him that same professional smile once again, her nimble fingers working on changing his bandages.

“Tell me if it’s too tight,” She said, hoping to get a response from him. Jungkook stayed quiet. He didn’t feel like acting nice to someone who just called Jin dumb for not being a responsible hyung and choosing to stay at an abandoned mansion just moments prior, thinking the walls couldn’t possibly be that thin. He wasn’t going to let his friends’ sacrifices be ridiculed.

But who could blame them for their assumptions, really?

The only one who knew the whole story was Jungkook, after all. Everyone else was dead. Why were a policeman and a pro-dancer murdered at the same time? Why did three people head into separate directions, but one never returned? Why were two men with matching watches found in one another’s arms, sad smiles and tears on their faces, frozen in death?

These were all questions he had answers to; little stories of his friends’ final moments that were still too painful for him to relive. They weren’t his to tell, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to open up to a random nurse, and she knew it, too.

His head throbbed when she accidentally clipped his hair, but Jungkook ignored it. He could handle bandages, at the very least. A head injury was a small price to pay for his life.

“Are you sure his surgery went well?” He heard her hiss to the doctor. “It’s been six months and he’s still unresponsive.”

The doctor gave him a wry look, gesturing at him with his clipboard. “He’s clearly mobile. The damage was pretty bad, so it’s a miracle he’s even still alive. We just have to wait and see.”

Jungkook wondered if the brain damage even changed anything about him. After all, his mind was already pretty broken before. It didn’t seem to be that much different from back then, but a small part of him wished he had it worse. He could do with forgetting a few details of his past if it meant gaining blissful ignorance and a good night’s sleep. How long has it been since he had woken up without screaming soundlessly, clutching Jimin’s necklace around his neck and looking for a gun that wasn’t there?

For once, he wanted to forget. For once, he wanted to drown in his delusions. For once, he wanted to be consumed by his drugs and break reality altogether.

He watched the sun go down, pursing his lips. The view from the fifth floor was as beautiful as he remembered, brilliant lilac melting into shades of magenta and canary yellow-- but it was a small comfort compared to Jimin’s warm smile from before; Jin’s laugh after they wrecked an enemy guild; Namjoon’s endearing dimples deepening as they listened to a new song together.

But he would never get to see them again. All he had now were memories he couldn’t even be sure of; plagued by nightmares he could never wake up from.

He clenched his fists. Could he ever escape from his past?

After all, how many more nights would Jungkook have to watch Taehyung stare at him through the window?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we have arrived at the end of a journey :) this was a fun project as this was my first time trying horror (mystery thriller?) and I feel like I've learned a lot. Honestly, the most stressful but fun part of planning this story was figuring out in which order they died and trying to leave in hints that Tae was the killer all along lol. 
> 
> When I was re-reading the whole fic I realised I teased about an incident (chapter 2) which made Hoseok warn Yoongi about being careful, and I kinda forgot to work it into the story... so I made a spin-off that details the beginning of their friendship, and the incident that occurs; entitled 'partners in crime'.
> 
> Thanks for reading, i love u all <3


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